A court of water and worlds

Chapter #28

"You didn't kill them?" Gwyn asked unphased by the brutalized men.
"No, they are going to take us to Nesta, isn't that right," Cassian said, patting Drystan's head.
Drystan groaned.
He and his brother were currently tied to a chair.
They had broken bones and bloody faces, Cassian was still definitely holding back.
"We are not telling you anything," Alac said, breathing heavily.
"That's a shame," Azriel said and Gwyn could not recognize his voice.
"For Cas, he really wants to see his mate, but this will be so enjoyable for me," Azriel said, unsheathing his dagger truth teller, and Gwyn felt something spark in her at the sight of it.
Something in her was saying, "that's it! Go to it! Use it!"
She somehow managed to bury the feeling though she still felt a little pull.
Just then Azriel turned to Gwyn, shadows dancing around his head.
O, shit Gwyn had been so caught up in the dagger she didn't even realize why he had pulled it out.
Torture, they were going to torture them.
Or Azriel was for that matter.
Gwyn didn't know if she was ready to see this.
She could walk away, but these people took Nesta. They deserved this.
There was still retribution burning through her veins.
She would stay. She would watch. And she would enjoy it.
She looked at Azriel and nodded.
It seemed the shadowsinger wasn't the only one with a dark side.
She watched Azriel turn to Drystan and kneel down next to his chair.
"How are you two still alive?" Azriel asked in a voice she imagined the lover's voice in the novels she read would sound like.
"We cut off your wings and dropped you in the middle of a mountain. Yet all these years later you're here causing havoc." Azriel continued tracing Drystan's cheek with truth teller.
"Liao found us. He said we would help him with this revolution and we gladly agreed. But we did ask one thing of him... that we were given retribution on the Illyrian bastards that did this to us. We figured to wait as long as it took to really hit you where it hurt. We had planned to kill your mates. While the high lord's whore is much too well protected, we managed to slip her something while she came to camp a couple days ago."
Gwyn almost gasped but she would not let them see her shock.
What was happening to the high lady?
What did they give her?
Was that why Gwyn hadn't seen her at the palace?
What of her son, was he ok?
Drystan and Alac had to die.
"Nesta," Drystan looked to Cassian, "we had thought to kill but then Koschei offered us this once in a lifetime deal and we couldn't refuse. His support in the war and a lifetime of pain for Nesta."
Gwyn saw Cassian's siphons were now blazing red and he was clenching his fists and jaw so hard Gwyn thought they might crack.
Azriel slightly turned the blade and drew blood.
Blood was running down Drystan's face but he continued.
"And you brother," he said to Azriel, "we just got lucky with you, didn't we."
Drystan laughed but it was all broken.
"No lover, or wife, or mate," his smile turned sinister.
"We didn't even need to destroy your life, because you had no life to destroy. We thought making you watch your friends suffer would suffice."
Azriel sighed as if he was bored.
"Did you seriously just give me the whole villain speech, god that was excruciating," Azriel said, turning to Alac.
"Can you tell me where Nesta is or shall I slice open your brother?"
Alac's breathing accelerated.
"Where is Nesta," Azriel asked and Alac didn't respond.
"You know what I think may be more fun," Azriel said, getting up and sheathing truth teller.
He walked over to the fireplace with causal grace and picked up a fire iron.
"If I recall you guys quite like fire."
Azriel walked back over towards them, was he going to burn them?
Not that they didn't deserve it but it would be excruciatingly painful.
"I won't ask again," he used the lover's voice, "where is Nesta."
When neither of them said anything Azriel pressed the iron to Drystan's cheek.
Gwyn didn't flinch.
A bark of pain fell from Drystan's lips as Azriel dragged it down his cheek elongating the pain.
Azriel turned to Alac and untied one of his hands.
"Who is bringing her to Koschei? What path are they taking?"
No answer.
He forced Alac's hand open and placed the iron in it making Alac grip it.
Alac screamed in pain and Gwyn heard Azriel whisper in his ear.
"Does this remind you of old times, brother?" Azriel asked and ripped the iron out of his hand.
Gwyn watched as a single tear slid down Alac's cheek and she started to tremble.
This— this reminded her of Catrin, how Gwyn had to watch as Catrin was killed in front of her and how after Gwyn had been tortured, raped.
Gwyn couldn't breathe.
Brothers, they were brothers just as her and Catrin were sisters.
She couldn't watch this, she couldn't be here.
Gwyn ran out of the room and into something hard.
She looked up and scrambled back trying to access her weapons.
It was a carrion.